New Delhi: The Modi government on Friday opposed triple talaq in the Supreme Court, stating that ‘there is no reason women in India should be denied their Constitutional rights’.

Taking a progressive stand, the Centre told the highest court in its affidavit that validity of triple talaq and polygamy should be seen in light of gender justice. It said that triple talaq goes against the principle of gender equality, calling it ‘unfair, unreasonable and discriminatory.'

The government argued that triple talaq is ‘misplaced’ in a secular country like India.

"The issue is if regulating the matrimonial law in an acknowledged Islamic country is not considered as contravening Sharia, how can this be treated like this in a secular country like India where Constitution is supreme," a government official had said in September.

The government's views came out in last month’s meeting of Group of Ministers formulated on the issue. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi met last week to deliberate on government's possible stand to be taken in Supreme Court on the Muslim practice of triple talaq (talaq-e-bidat).

They also deliberated on the Muslim practice of polygamy and 'nikah halala' (a practice where divorced women, in case they want to go back to their husbands, have to consummate a second marriage).